Prodigal Son
by Thistle of Liberty
Summary: John Bacchus has decided to return to Gently after running off to London. Gently is pleased to welcome his sergeant back, but is not all that happy with some of his behaviour. Warning! Contain disciplinary spanking of an adult.
1. Chapter 1

_So, I've been watching this absolutely wonderful show called "George Gently". It's a detective show set in the '60s and it is quite focused on a wonderful father-son –ish relationship. I warmly recommend it. _

_There's a vid here, in case you want to see the characters: __http: //www. youtube. com/ watch?v= 314htZBfS8I__ It's intended slash, but I suggest you ignore that. I can't see anything slashy about them at all. To me they're all father-son. _

_Also, here are pics, from the Eternal Lee website: __http:// eternallee. com/ page57 GentlyInnoc. html__ and http: //eternallee. com/ page38Geo. html_

_This fic is set after the, so far, last episode. In the end we are led to understand that John Bacchus leaves for London, not really intending to come back, this in spite of Gently wanting him to stay._

_

* * *

_John Bacchus was nervously giving his hair a last combing through before he assembled enough courage to get out his car and into the station. If someone asked why he bothered he wouldn't be able to answer; it wasn't as if it would make any difference. He felt unnervingly much like the proverbial son returning. Expect, he had a feeling his welcome wouldn't be all that welcoming. He had, after all, ignored his boss's words, told him that having a career was more important than their friendship and left for London with no intention of really coming back.

And yet, now he was back. Part of him ached with wounded pride just admitting to himself that Gently had been right all along. The seminar had been little more than a repeat of the snide comments Gently made about the Met. It had taken John little more than a day to grasp this and once he had the dilemma of whether to return to Gently, something which he was convinced would be utterly humiliating, or to stay on and let people know he was available, which would be a complete dismissal of the principles Gently had taught him, gripped him with an iron fist. He did in fact agree with Gently on a lot of points. Corruption couldn't be tolerated. The general dishonesty of the force couldn't be tolerated. And taking a job offered to him by these people, promising to follow them rather than the law, went completely against all that.

He supposed Gently would be pleased to hear that. One more converted to his puritan way of thinking. He would probably not be pleased with John returning and asking to have his job back. It was true that he hadn't officially resigned, but it had been understood that he wasn't coming back. And now he was, and it was embarrassing as hell.

Steeling himself, he exited the car. He could do this, of course he could. The familiar building seemed to be looming in front of him, larger and more imposing than it had ever been before, taunting him. In whatever way a building could taunt you. The equally familiar hallways weren't all that frightening.

Finally standing outside the dreaded the door he smoothed his hair, noticing that his hand was shaking a little. He hated this. Before he could change his mind, he knocked. A tense second went by before he heard Gently's murmur asking him to come him. Well, asking the visitor to come in. If he had known it was John it would probably have been somewhere closer to "go to hell". Quickly, he entered.

"'Ello, gov", he began with a decidedly nervous smiled. Gently looked up, a faint look of surprise on his face. For a moment he appeared to be lost for words, his eye brows simply climbing higher. John squirmed uncomfortably.

"Hello, John", Gently finally greeted. After that he went silent. John wanted to hit him. He had hoped, really hoped, that the older man would initiate the conversation and thus stripping John of that horrible task. He swallowed and nervously shifted on his feet.

"I, eh… suppose you might be sort of, eh… surprised to see me here", he said awkwardly.

"Yes", Gently replied simply. "Yes, I am."

John really wished he had said something more. Like asking for an explanation. Because then he would have to give one. And that was entirely different from volunteering one. What was even worse was that he knew that Gently knew this and that he just wanted to torture John in elaborate ways and thought this was more fun than screaming at him.

"I… eh, went to the seminar", he started and hesitated, waiting for Gently to jump in and start demanding explanations for his atrocious behaviour. He didn't. "And I… eh… well, the thing is; you were right."

He wanted to die. He was going to die. The utter humiliation of admitting that he had been a bloody idiot was going to kill him.

"Right about what, John?" Gently asked calmly, with mild interest. And John just knew that he was doing it to torture him. He just knew it.

"About the seminar, gov", he replied meekly. Things couldn't get any more embarrassing than this anyway.

"So...?"

John hated that reasonable and patient voice. He hated that it forced him to be calm and explain himself. He hated that Gently couldn't use his bloody detective skills and work out why he was there.

"So I felt like I couldn't take a job with people who taught you stuff like that and I decided…" he swallowed; this was the really embarrassing part, "and I decided that I kind of like working with you."

He refused to meet Gently's eyes, but he did look up slightly to see the smile on Gently's lips. Which was probably a good sign. Or not, if it was a mocking smile. Which John really couldn't tell. The other man kept quiet, and John had no other choice but to continue.

"And well… I was kind of wondering if I could have my job back?" he finished with an awkward smile. He still refused to look up; instead he kept his eyes firmly locked on the ground, studying his shoes with undivided interest.

"I wasn't aware you'd lost it", Gently replied evenly. John's head snapped up and for the first time that day he met his boss's eyes. Gently seemed genuinely pleased to see him there. Surprised, sure, and probably a bit smug but all in all pleased rather than something else.

"Eh… no?" John ventured, really having no idea whatsoever what else to say.

"John…", Gently began, sounding exasperated. "I am glad you're back. Trust me on that."

"All right."

After that he was silent. He had no idea what else to say. Gently seemed to think he had said something that should make a profound impression on John and solve all his problems. That wasn't the case. Of course he was glad that Gently was glad but he had no clue what Gently being glad meant. And he just couldn't shake off the feeling that Gently would start yelling any moment. John shifted nervously, clearing his throat and once again stealing a glance at Gently from under his fringe.

"So… eh, I can have my job back?" he finally asked, his voice a bit shrill.

"You never lost it, John", Gently replied and this time there was no exasperation in his voice, just sombre conviction.

"But, gov!" John exclaimed. "I left! I wasn't just... I mean, I was seriously leaving!"

He wasn't sure why he was upset. It was what he wanted after all; his job. And if Gently was willing to pretend that nothing had happened so should he be. But he wasn't. It seemed too much as if Gently wasn't taking him seriously. He had quit, damn it! Sort of, anyways. But the point was that he didn't want to be welcomed back like a child who had thrown a tantrum and came back apologising two minutes later. He had been gone for almost a week.

"I know that, John", Gently replied, and now he was definitely impatient again, "and I knew that you might not be coming back. But you did, and I'm glad. For some unfathomable reason I actually like you."

"Oh", was all John managed to say. He hated the feeling of… pride? that rose in him. He did like and respect Gently. Respect mostly, actually, but he did not want to desire the praise of the man. He was beyond that. He was a grown man and didn't need reassurance or encouragement.

"However", Gently interrupted his self-berating, a bit louder and with a somewhat stern glare, "I am not all that happy with you behaviour."

"Eh… I'm sorry?" John tried uncertainly. Gently had been unhappy with his behaviour quite a lot in the time they had known each other and it had always passed after some time. But it seemed as if this time was more serious.

"You know, John, I don't think you are."

John opened his mouth to interrupt, assuring his boss that he was in fact very, very sorry and that he would never do it again. Just to realise that he wasn't particularly sorry. He was sorry he had ignored Gently and gone off to London, but only because it meant he had to come back and admit his mistake. He closed his mouth.

"You, in the time of a few days, ignored me, disobeyed me, lied to me and showed complete disregard for your own safety. I think you should be sorry."

"C'mon, gov!" John laughed nervously. "Are you serious?"

Gently regarded him coldly, his eyebrows slightly raised.

"Of course I am, John", he replied after a moment of silence. "Very much so."

"But it didn't do any harm", John argued with his eyes widened in incomprehension. Gently gave him a long, considering look before shaking his head and tiredly rubbing his temples.

"I can't believe no-one has explained this to you..." he muttered, almost too low for John to hear.

"Explained what?" John demanded, with an annoyed edge to his voice. Gently looked up.

"That there are, in normal society, certain rules."

John rolled his eyes at the older man. How old did he think John was? He knew that there were informal rules to be followed, but he _hadn't_ been rude to Gently. Gently had hardly been affected by his actions at all and it was entirely unfair that he should lecture John about it.

"I'm not talking about saying please", Gently snapped, "I'm talking about showing respect for those around you. Not lying, for example."

John once again rolled his eyes. He didn't see why him telling a tiny, tiny lie seemed to anger Gently so much. He didn't understand why it mattered.

"Don't roll your eyes at me", the older man ordered harshly.

"Sorry", John apologised without a flicker of remorse, "but I don't see why it matters, gov. It didn't do any harm or anything."

"That's because you're just like a child!" Gently exasperatedly exclaimed, casting his eyes heavenwards as if praying for help. "Actions have consequences, John, but you don't seem to get that."

"Bloody explain, then!" John cried. He hated it when Gently accused him of being a child. He hated it when Gently was discontent with him in any way, actually.

Gently took a deep breath, looking at first as if he was about to refuse and start yelling but then he nodded with a resigned expression and closed his eyes for a brief moment. To John it seemed as if he was preparing a speech. Or more likely, a scathing lecture.

"Actions do have consequences, John", he began calmly, "If you hit someone, they're likely to hit you right back. And if you lie to me and disobey me, I won't be able to trust you."

John felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. Gently wouldn't trust him. He'd be set aside and Gently would move on. He had had a feeling it had been a bad idea to disobey, but only because Gently would be pissed off if he did. Not because it would mean losing Gently's trust.

"You can't trust me anymore?" he asked quietly, uncertainly. To his surprise Gently's features softened and he smiled sadly.

"I don't know if I can, John", he said. "If I know that you have no issues with lying to me and disobeying I can't, but... well, you're really just a kid and kids mess up. I'm not going to push you away because of one mistake."

"So... ehm, we're okay?" John asked nervously, not quite daring to believe it and pushing away his irritation at being called a kid.

"We will be", Gently responded, "Soon."

John nodded, a feeling of relief filling him and with a small smile on his lips.

"I'm going to punish you first", Gently stated. John's smile faded.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" he asked suspiciously, eyeing Gently sceptically. His experience with punishments was not good; at home his father had beaten him sometimes, but John usually wasn't sure why, and in school the teachers had usually taken out their bad tempers on some boy, usually not him. It had never had any effect on John except making him shy away from their company.

"I do _not_ mean that I am going to beat you bloody, John", Gently reassured him softly, "I'm going to take my belt to your backside."

"You can't do that!" John protested shrilly. "I'm an adult, I'm... I mean, I'm not a kid!"

Gently calmly raised his eyebrows.

"Well, you act like one", he retorted. "So it's only fair you get punished like one."

John cast a look at the door, for a moment considering bolting. He quickly reconsidered when he saw the thunderous look on appearing on Gently's face as he guessed John's thoughts. Instead he directed his gaze to the floor, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Can't we just forget about this?" he asked hopefully. A smile touched upon Gently's lips for a brief moment, but he immediately replaced it with a stern expression.

"No, John", he said, "I need to know that I can trust you. And I need to make sure you know that I trust you."

John looked even more thoughtful. His boss wanted to take his belt to him. It wouldn't be too painful; he had said he wasn't going to "beat him bloody", so consequently there would be no serious injury. And Gently would trust him again if he agreed. As much as he hated to admit it, that mattered to John. A lot. He gave a small nod to the older man who immediately put a hand on his shoulder and guided him to his desk.

"Bend over it", he ordered. John obeyed silently, starting to regret his choice already. He heard Gently unbuckle his belt and pull it out of its loops. He sensed more than heard him raise his arm, but he did hear the whishing of the belt to the air before it him with a loud crack. It took a moment for the pain to register; then it spread over his backside rapidly, stinging and burning.

The belt hit him again. And again.

"Tell me why I'm belting you, John", came Gently's calm request, sounding for all the word as if he was asking what a certain lead meant.

"Because I, eh... disobeyed you?" he offered, hating the way his voice cracked slightly over the last word.

"Yes, John", Gently agreed, and brought down the belt again. John winced. "I want to trust you, John, and I want to keep working with you. I can't if you don't obey me."

He continued the belting and John had to bite his teeth together to stop himself from making any sounds. It didn't stop him from breathing unevenly and his knuckles whitening as he grabbed the far side of the desk with hard determination. Gently was way to bloody good at this for John's good.

"Well, carry on", Gently encouraged him. He had fallen into a comfortable pace now and tears were beginning to form in John's eyes.

"Lying?" John asked, and when the belt bit into him quickly he confirmed, "Yes, yes! Lying. I lied to you. I'm sorry!"

"All right. And why shouldn't you lie to me?"

"Because then you can't trust me", John managed to get out without breaking into sobs. He had had no idea this would hurt so much. He had taken canings, and that had hurt and he had cried, but he hadn't thought this would be anywhere that.

"Yes, and...?" Gently prompted patiently.

"It's..." he hesitated. He hated saying it. He hated admitting that he had been wrong. He hated admitting that Gently was the kind of authority figure he could look up to and actually felt bad about disrespecting. Which was what he had did, and what Gently wanted him to admit. "It's disrespectful, gov."

"Very good, John", Gently praised him, "What else?"

"I ignored you and went over your head to get to go to the conference when I should have listened to you all along 'cause you're more experienced and I should trust you", John reeled off quickly, not pausing to breathe. Gently stopped swinging the belt and paused, as if to think.

"Well... a little", he admitted, "but not too much. You have the right to disagree with me and it's possible that... that I should have listened to you more."

John raised his head to throw Gently a disbelieving look.

"Really?" he asked, his pain momentarily forgotten. Gently nodded his confirmation.

"Yes, but it doesn't entirely excuse what you did. And we still have some things to discuss. Over the desk again."

John obeyed reluctantly. Gently wasted no time in resuming the belting and gave John a couple of strokes before starting to talk again.

"One more thing you're getting punished for", he stated. "Tell me what."

John racked his brain, this being especially difficult because of the pain, and failed to come up with anything, except yelps from pain and a ragged sob.

"I- I don't know, gov", he admitted.

"You. Knowingly. Put. Yourself. In. Danger", Gently explained, accentuating each word with a hard stroke. "I am not going to accept that. You do not get to do that. Understood?"

"Yes!" John agreed quickly, "Yes, I do."

"Good", Gently praised him, "Very good."

But he didn't stop. John had hoped he'd be done now. He couldn't think of anything else which might possibly deserve punishment. He drew a ragged breath, more a sob, and with an annoyed gesture he wiped tears from his face. He hated crying.

Then Gently stopped. John felt his hand on his back, softly comforting, and to his irritation his eyes filled with tears again.

"Up you get", Gently ordered mildly. John obeyed and winced as he realised just how sore his backside really was. An amused smile tugged at Gently's lips when he saw his sergeant's discomfort and John gave him an annoyed look. Gently put a hand on his shoulder and massaged it softly, quietly offering the comfort John now craved. He wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his suit, for a moment forgetting that he was supposed to be a dignified adult and not a kid who had fallen and scrubbed his knees. He did remember it though, when Gently laughed softly and offered him his handkerchief. He blushed, but used the hankie to dry away the remaining tears.

"You all right now?" Gently asked. John gave a nod, but Gently didn't seem content with the answer and raised his eyebrows demandingly.

"Yeah, I'm all right, gov", he replied, glad that his voice no longer broke when he spoke. The only sign he had been crying was the slight hollowness of it. And, of course, his puffy eyes and tear streaked face.

"You sure, John?" Gently prompted. "I don't want this to end without some sort of... closure. We quarrel too much, already."

"I'm sort of sure", John replied. "I just want to know... you know, why?"

"The reasons I already gave. I want to trust you. And I want you to be safe", Gently said. At the last part he looked somewhat embarrassed and he roughly patted John's shoulder again. "Besides, someone has to raise you, it seems."

John grimaced at the older man, an expression only a sliver more mature than sticking his tongue out. Gently laughed. It pleased John irrationally much to hear it. He should be angry he was being laughed at, but he had a feeling it was a kind sort of laugh.

"Well, it's late, son", Gently said after a moment of silence, "We should be getting home, both of us."

John looked a bit stricken, his face taking on the puppy eyed look that he seemed to have mastered to perfection. Why did he have the crazy feeling he was being abandoned? It was perfectly natural that Gently went home after they were done. There was no reason why he should stay any longer.

"What..?" the older man asked as he noticed John's suddenly morose appearance.

"Nothing, gov", John replied hurriedly, feeling a slight blush creeping up his cheeks.

"Nothing?" Gently sceptically repeated and then continued, after a slight pause, "Do you want me to stay on, talk for a bit?"

John loved him. Even though it scared him a bit that he knew so exactly what John wanted.

"If you don't mind..." he mumbled self-consciously. Gently smiled mildly and with a gesture bade John to take a seat before he himself did so.

"'Course I don't mind, John" he replied. John sat down with a small smile, and winced as his backside touched the hard wood. There was an awkward silence for a while, then Gently cleared his throat.

"So, tell me more about the seminar", he requested. "Anyone I would know there?"

"Uh, yeah... a few chaps mentioned you. There was this one really fat old man, totally bald, who talked about you for like an hour when I mentioned you name."

"A bald, fat old man, John?" Gently said with a wide grin, "I think you're going to have to be more specific, lad. That's half the met."

John grinned back.

"Aye, you're right. He was older than you."

Gently raised his eyebrows, trying to look stern at the same time as a smile was tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Say that again?" he requested mildly. John's grin widened.

"I'm just saying... most of the chaps your age are retired, right?"

"I'm warning you, John..."

"I mean... they might be getting senile and stuff."

"John."

"I'm not saying that you are, just saying it's not impossible for men your age to be... you know."

"I'm serious, John Bacchus."

"Old chaps usually are, I'm told."

"John..."

~Fade Out~

* * *

_Thank you for reading and please leave a review. _


	2. Chapter 2

Gently tiredly rubbed his eyes as he entered the familiar police station, mentally preparing himself for another day of work. John Bacchus would be there, after his welcomed return the day before. The boy would probably be embarrassed; confused that Gently had punished him. Gently was however perfectly convinced that John deserved it. To be honest there had been several times before when he had been itching to take the stubborn young man over his knee and beat some sense into him. He never did, though. For a while, when he thought John wasn't coming back, he had regretted it, thinking he had waited too long. He vowed that if John did return, he would face the consequences of his actions.

And when John did return he followed up on the promise to himself. John had accepted it more easily than Gently would have thought, and reacted more or less like the child he vehemently denied being. Gently had expected back talk, expected to have to beat some sense into him before he was ready to talk. Instead, John had answered his questions obligingly right from the very start. It made him wonder just how uncertain John was of their relationship. Perhaps he shouldn't have explained it quite the way he did. Perhaps he had made it seem as if he'd push the kid away after a single mistake. He wouldn't, if only because he liked him too much.

Today, he hoped their relationship would go back to normal. Well, without John pushing the boundaries too much. Gently wondered if that was what his father, and later the first chief inspector he worked for, had felt when he had started bending the rules. The strong urge to either pull him across his knee or embrace him to make sure he knew he was loved. Gently had never had children of his own, and it had come as something of a shock when Isabella announced that she couldn't have children. But it had never been a struggle; he had always known he would never leave her and somewhere along the road children drifted out of their minds. Until the day the cocky young sergeant Bacchus had spent hours shuddering and crying after the shock of having a man shot not two inches away from him. He had traded himself, told the Irish terrorist they were pursuing to let the woman he had go and take him instead. At that very first moment, when he heard John's word, he was ready to shoot him himself. You were not supposed to trade yourself. It was in the textbook.

Then he realised just what the boy intended, and he had taken the shot. John had dove and it had hit the IRA-man square in the head. John had maintained his composure, looking as if the occurrence hadn't touched him at all. Gently had thrown him a glance, knowing full well that the boy would be affected, and then went on to organising things. Half an hour later, the things needing immediate attention were managed and Gently turned to find his sergeant. He wasn't there. Worriedly Gently turned to the nearest policeman and demanded to know where John Bacchus was, his tone not all too gentle. He was rewarded by a confused shrug and a nod in the direction of another man. This continued for a while, until some enlightened soul remembered having seen the young man entering his car. As the car was still at the scene, Gently assumed that John was as well.

He approached the car and knocked softly on the window. John looked up from his careful study of his hands folded in his lap. He was unnaturally pale and his eyes seemed unfocused and dazed. Gently sighed. The shock had set in, it seemed. He opened the door and led the confused young man to his own car, where he placed him in his seat and then drove off, back to the station. He then spent the next few hours consoling the devastated sergeant who alternately sat staring out into space, broke down in sobs or shuddered desperately.

After that all thoughts of John being just another subordinate disappeared. The months went by and the kid nestled himself deeper and deeper into Gently's heart. And now there was no denying he was the son Gently never had.

The morning light was bright and Gently squinted as he left the car. He hurried to the station door and entered, greeting Taylor cheerfully. The station was otherwise rather empty, not that it was ever actually crowded, due to the early time. Quickly reaching the door to his and John's office he entered, starting to take off his coat before he was fully through the door. He made to hang the coat on the hanger as he caught sight of his sergeant lying curled up behind his desk, fast asleep. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, tilting his head in a silent question.

"John?" he said softly. The young man stirred but didn't wake up. Gently tried again, this time a bit more forceful. John made a small sound but still didn't wake. With a sigh Gently went over to him and shook his shoulder slightly. John opened his eyes and for a moment he looked completely dazed. Then his eyes settled on Gently and his face turned into a confused frown.

"Gov?" he asked. Gently had to smile again. He looked insanely young; hair all tussled from sleep and a questioning expression on his face.

"Good morning", he greeted mildly. "Fancy a cup of tea?"

John nodded distractedly, pulling a hand through his disorderly hair and obviously still not quite awake, and Gently got up to fetch the tea. He returned a minute or two later to find John sitting on his chair, still looking sleepy, and handed him a cup. John thanked him with a smile.

"Well", Gently began when he too had sat down, "care to tell me why you're sleeping here and not in your bed?"¨

"Not really..." John muttered but shrugged and continued anyways when Gently raised his eyebrows. "To be honest, gov, I sort of... well, I 'ave nowhere else to go, have I?"

Gently looked genuinely surprised. He _was_ genuinely surprised.

"You have a home, John", he said, sounding as if he was explaining something to a five year old.

"Yeah, well... I had a... a row with my wife before I left for London and well... we sort of agreed that I, eh... wouldn't be coming back."

Gently stared at him.

"You have no place to live?" he clarified. John nodded, looking embarrassed. "You didn't consider the fact that you might be coming back? What's more; where were you planning to live in London?

"Eh... in an apartment?" John ventured. Gently gave him a sceptical look.

"And with what money were you going to pay for that?"

"My own", John retorted, "Look; the salary for a cop in the Met is higher than my salary here. I'd been able to afford it."

"No, you wouldn't", Gently snapped at him, "Multiple rents on a policeman's salary is impossible. Besides, you have a wife and child to support."

"You can live cheap in London. It'd work!" John replied, raising his voice.

"It would not, and you know it! And, as we've already established, cops with money troubles are cops in danger of corruption."

"It wasn't a bribe!" John yelled, "You know that. And I'm not a child, I can manage my own life!"

"Obviously, you can't", Gently remarked, fighting to be calm. He didn't like quarrelling with John, but sometimes the boy was just unbelievably insensible. "You have nowhere to live."

"I'll manage something, okay? I'll sell my car, or something. I can bloody handle it!"

"No, you cannot", Gently snapped back. "Because I won't let you. We both know what happened last time you ran around short of funds."

"Then what am I supposed to bloody do?" John asked harshly. "Continue sleeping here?"

"You'll live with me", Gently replied. He hadn't really considered it before he said it. The idea just appeared out of nowhere. But when he did consider it he realised that he didn't mind much. The lad was annoying, no one could contest that, but Gently was very fond of him. Besides, he had started to grow lonely living without anyone else.

"No way!" John exclaimed, "Are you insane?"

Gently raised his eyebrows. He was somewhat surprised that John seemed to be completely comfortable with mouthing off to him so soon after yesterday's happenings.

"Not as far as I know", he retorted drily, "Care to explain what brought on the question?"

"Well, you're my boss aren't you!" John snapped. "I can't bloody live with you!"

"But you can accept discipline?" Gently inquired. He was more amused than anything now.

"That's different, gov", the younger man replied, now whining.

"How so?"

John rolled his eyes and sighed, as if complaining about Gently's complete lack of comprehension.

"It just is", he said with an expression dangerously close to a pout.

"It just is?" Gently repeated questioningly. "Your argumentative skills overwhelm me."

Now John really was pouting. Gently was sometimes surprised by how young the lad actually was. Or maybe it was he who was older than he had realised. He adopted a stern expression and levelled a hard glare on the younger man in front of him.

"The matter's not open to discussion, John", he said, "You need a home. I'm offering you mine. That's all."

John bit his lip, seeming to consider Gently's words. Gently was well aware that he couldn't back now. There was no more discussion to be had. The decision was made.

"You _do _have a spare bedroom, I hope?" John finally asked. Gently smiled.

"I do", he replied. "Now get to work."

The last was said with faked sternness, and John grinned in reply before he sat down at his desk and started to dig through the masses of paper that had accumulated there during his absence.

"Gov?" John ventured after a moment of silence. Gently hummed encouragingly. "Thanks."

* * *

**A/N: Alors, chapter two. I won't promise I'll have the next and probably last chapter in this little thing up shortly because I know from experience that that rarely happens... But it is almost finished, as in just needing a conclusion. **

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed this and please leave a review. **


End file.
